Prabowo's Warning on Dangers of Mountainous Waste Accumulation at Bantargebang

A landslide at the Bantargebang Integrated Waste Management Facility (TPST) in Bekasi resulted in five deaths when a mountain of waste suddenly collapsed on Sunday, 8 March 2026 at approximately 14.30 local time, as several waste collection trucks waited their turn to unload at the disposal site.

The issue of waste management at TPST Bantargebang was raised by President Prabowo during a Full Cabinet Session at the State Palace in Jakarta on Monday, 20 October 2025, regarding his government’s one-year performance report. Prabowo received reports indicating that waste accumulation at Bantargebang had reached approximately 55 million tonnes, creating potential hazards for residents in surrounding areas if not properly managed.

“If I’m not mistaken, at Bantargebang I received reports that it has already reached dozens of million tonnes, 55 million tonnes has accumulated. If heavy rain occurs, it could potentially endanger many villages around there,” Prabowo stated.

The President noted that waste-to-energy facilities (PLTSa) are being developed not only in Bantargebang but also in several other regions facing waste accumulation problems. Beyond addressing environmental concerns, Prabowo emphasised the strategic significance of these projects for the tourism sector.

“This is highly strategic because it concerns cleanliness and health—how can we expect to manage waste properly. We can imagine whether tourists would visit a dirty, filthy place. Therefore, this is strategic,” Prabowo said.

The system is planned for areas generating over 1,000 tonnes of waste daily. Priority regions for facility development include Yogyakarta, Sleman Regency, Bantul Regency, Denpasar, Badung Regency, Bogor City, Bogor Regency, Depok, Bekasi City, Bekasi Regency, Tangerang Regency, South Tangerang City, Tangerang City, Medan, Deli Serdang Regency, and Semarang City and Regency.